NRI US-based honeymoon couple will never visit India again
Their honeymoon and New Year’s Eve in Mumbai turned out to be a nightmare

Phadvel (Dist Navsari), January 3, 2008
Expressindia
Kamaal Saiyed

For Hiten Patel (22) and his wife, the decision to spend their honeymoon and New Year’s Eve in Mumbai turned out to be a nightmare. Patel’s wife is one of the two women molested by a mob of men outside the J W Marriott Hotel in Mumbai in the wee hours of Tuesday.

The US-based couple, along with cousins and friends who were accompanying them when the incident occurred, have since returned to their native village Phadvel in Chikli Taluka of Navsari district, Gujarat. Hiten’s father Jayesh Patel told The Indian Express that the family was still recovering from the shock. The two young women, Hiten’s wife and a cousin, were absolutely traumatized, he added. “Please leave us alone. It is an unfortunate incident that happened. The family is in shock. We don’t want to drag this any longer and don’t want any more media attention,” said the Gujarati NRI businessman on Thursday, after avoiding the media for most of the day. “The couples want to put the incident behind them as soon as possible and are eager to fly back to the US.”

Hiten and his wife will never visit India again, Jayesh added. “We don’t want to fall into more trouble and that is why we have not lodged any complaint.” Tickets booked, the youngsters are expected to fly back in three days, according to the father. Asked if Hiten would talk to this reporter, Jayesh said: “Hiten and his wife are very unwell and a doctor is attending to them.”

Jayesh Patel runs a hotel business in Texas City in USA and stays in Medford. Hiten joined the business a few years ago.

Jayesh said his son called early on Tuesday morning and informed him about the incident. Jayesh, relatives and the newly-wed young woman’s father left for Mumbai soon after.

Jayesh Patel’s family, comprising two sons and a daughter came to India a month ago, coming home straight to Navsari. They had fixed Hiten’s marriage with a girl who also lives in Medford and is a native of Kamrej Taluka, Surat district. Relatives of the bride and groom also arrived to attend the marriage function. Jayesh added: “The girl’s parents are also settled in Medford and they also run a hotel business.” An engagement ceremony had already been held in Medford while the wedding functions started from December 28 and ended with the wedding ceremony in Gangadhara village of Bardoli taluka, Surat district on Sunday afternoon. Back in Phadvel village, Hiten said he wanted to celebrate his honeymoon in Mumbai. “We gave him permission,” Jayesh said. They were accompanied by a cousin, Kaushik, the latter’s wife, an uncle named Sunil Patel, two other cousins and a friend living in the same village. They travelled to Mumbai in a mini-bus they rented from Chikli.

In Phadvel village, residents were unaware that the victims of the molestation incident at Juhu beach belonged to their own village, the Patels had shifted to the US many years ago. Later, as the news spread, many people were seen standing on the roads at the entrance of the village and even on the streets, discussing the incident. “We had seen the news on television, but we were unaware that the couple is from our own village,” said Phadvel village resident Ritesh Ahir.257393/